1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention is directed to an apparatus for carrying a load from an overhead position. More specifically, the invention is directed to an apparatus for vehicle cleaning, the moveable cleaning apparatus suspended from an overhead position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many methods and apparatus have been employed in the past to convey heavy loads from a first to a second position. In general, the more costly the method or apparatus the less labor intensive it is. Thus, either expensive capital equipment or heavy labor costs must be borne.
These factors apply equally to those applications where heavy and/or bulky processing equipment must be quickly moved about. In these instances the ability to quickly move the equipment creates a tradeoff between the expenditure of large sums for capital equipment, to facilitate such movement, and low capital expenditure with the need for heavy labor involvement. A less than satisfactory alternative is less efficient processing with both low capital and labor expenditure. Examples of industries subject to these considerations are the cleaning, scraping, washing, painting, and coating of all types of stationary structures, and moveable vehicles.
A particular example of these considerations is the cleaning of large vehicles. The cleaning of large trucks, trailers, and other large vehicles is a significant industrial activity. There are presently two major methods employed to clean these large vehicles. The first, employed by large fleet operations, is characterized by expensive stationary equipment. This type of cleaning system provides effective cleaning. However, this system includes relatively large scale equipment. Not only is this cleaning system capital intensive, but also, obviously, stationary. That is, the equipment is located at a fixed location, usually indoors. This requires that the vehicle must be transported to this fixed location. Such a requirement is time consuming, oftentimes adversely affecting vehicle usage and schedules. This need to move vehicles to a cleaning site also adds expense in terms of labor and energy. The vehicles must be driven to the fixed cleaning site by a driver using gasoline or diesel fuel.
On the other hand, there are large vehicle cleaning systems available that overcome the disadvantages associated with expensive stationary facilities. These systems are characterized by non-stationary locations for cleaning vehicles. Indeed, one advantage of these systems is that the vehicles can be cleaned at their normal parked location. These systems are characterized by heavy utilization of manual labor for cleaning vehicles. In such a system, cleaning trucks provided with cleaning solutions and rinse water, maintained under pressure, are connected to hoses held by workers who are likewise provided with brushes. The workers clean the trucks by first spraying with cleaning solution followed by brushing and concluding by rinsing.
The advantages of this system, low cost and simple equipments is offset by inefficient cleaning. In most instances, the three step cleaning process is not well coordinated so that often times by the time the worker reaches the vehicle surface sprayed with cleaning solution to brush it, the solution has dried. The result is a vehicle incompletely cleaned.
The discussion above suggests the need for a load carrying apparatus that combines the efficient load carrying and moving capabilities of capital intensive systems with the low cost of labor intensive load carrying systems. It especially suggests this need in industries that are directed to the cleaning, scraping, washing, coating, and painting of stationary structures and moveable vehicles. Most especially it seems particularly important in the cleaning of large vehicles.